The topic of discussion is trench warfare. The Battle of the Trench was the most important after the Battles of Badr and Uhud. The Battle of the Trench is a battle that changed the history of Islam. This battle was a battle of nerves. If the crisis that Muslims have to face never had to happen. It can be said that after arriving in Medina, the critical period did not pass. The Muslims won this battle because it was difficult to survive mentally in this battle. After the Battle of the Trench, the Quraysh never dared to attack the Muslims again.
Let’s begin our discussion with the context of the Battle of the Trench. The Battle of the Trench took place in the month of Shawwal in the fifth year of the Hijri year. We have already discussed that the Jews sought refuge in Khaibar, but even there they continued to plot against the Muslims. The Jews of the Banu Nazir tribe, stationed in Khaibar, formed a regional alliance and plotted to attack Medina.
Since no one could attack the Muslims alone, the Jews decided to form a joint alliance and attack. Jewish leaders traveled to Mecca to form an alliance. Their negotiations were successful and the Quraysh and their allied forces, decided to attack Medina.
The combined strength of this alliance was 10,000 troops. The alliance agreed that if the people of the Godafun tribe were victorious, they would receive a year’s supply of dates from Khyber. As part of this conspiracy, the Jews did another thing. That is, the Jewish community inside Medina was destroyed, which created a rebellion through the tribe Banu Koraiza.
There was a meeting between the Jews and the polytheists. In that meeting, the polytheists asked the Jews who was on the right path. The Jews said, “You are on the right path.” Then Allah revealed this verse of the Quran:
Have you not seen those who were given a portion of the Scripture, who believe in superstition and false objects of worship and say about the disbelievers, “These are better guided than the believers as to the way”? Those are the ones whom Allah has cursed; and he whom Allah curses – never will you find for him a helper.
(Quran 4:51-52)
There are several similarities between Jews and Muslims in their beliefs. The hearts of the Jews were filled with jealousy, so they did not hesitate to call the religion of the false idol worshipping of the Mushfiqurs the truth.
On the other hand, the Mushfiqurs, receiving false support from the Jews, began to take the reality of the war.
The Prophet (peace and blessings of Allaah be upon him) knew about the Jewish conspiracy and he regularly received information through spies. The Prophet (peace and blessings of Allaah be upon him) held a consultation with his companions as usual.
Muslims have never faced such problems before because this time the polytheists are coming with three times the number of troops.
But even after attending the discussion meeting, he could not provide any practical advice. Now Salman Farsi (may Allah be pleased with him) spoke up and said, “I saw in Persia that they used to dig deep trenches to prevent cavalry attacks.” The Prophet (peace and blessings of Allah be upon him) and other companions remembered this suggestion.
The Prophet (peace be upon him) set out with his companions to dig a well and chose the area north of Medina. Because it is most unlikely that the enemy will be able to attack from this direction.
Before digging, the Prophet (peace be upon him) ensured the safety of the women and children, and sent them to the Banu Haritha tribe. Then the excavation work began, but the work of draining was very difficult because the Arabs had never done such work before.
The Prophet Muhammad’s (peace be upon him) extraordinary provision made the digging of the hole perfect and beautiful. The Prophet (peace and blessings of Allaah be upon him) divided his companions into small groups of ten people.
Each team was responsible for digging a hole 40 feet deep. However, according to some accounts, the length of this hole was about five and a half kilometers. It was 9 meters wide and 4.5 meters deep. The Prophet (peace and blessings of Allaah be upon him) did not sit in the leader’s seat, but rather he himself got down to the work of digging the hole. Allah Almighty says in the Quran: The Messenger of Allah (peace and blessings of Allah be upon him) was reciting poetry and the companions were reciting poetry too. This made their task easier.
The believers are only those who believe in Allah and His Messenger and, when they are [meeting] with him for a matter of common interest, do not depart until they have asked his permission. Indeed, those who ask your permission, [O Muhammad] – those are the ones who believe in Allah and His Messenger. So when they ask your permission for something of their affairs, then give permission to whom you will among them and ask forgiveness for them of Allah. Indeed, Allah is Forgiving and Merciful.
(Quran 24:62)
Jihad creates a situation that exposes the character of Muslims and hypocrites. The Quraysh and their allied forces approached Medina and were surprised to see the Trench.
They did not expect anything like this. They thought they would easily attack Medina with 10,000 soldiers. The Quraysh tried to cross a narrow section of the Trench Pass but Ali (may Allah be pleased with him) stopped them.
Meanwhile, Abu Jahl crossed part of the Trench with his army, but the Muslim army resisted them. The Quraysh noticed that even if they approached the Trench on foot, the Muslims would attack them with stones and arrows.
And leaving behind the cavalry, they will not be able to face the Muslims in a frontal battle. So they besieged the Muslims, and on the other hand, the Muslims’ condition continued to weaken as they remained under siege. When the Quraysh army saw that despite besieging the Muslims, their supplies were running out, they planned to create a rebellion with the Jewish forces inside Medina. On the other hand, the Prophet (peace and blessings of Allaah be upon him) suspected that the Banu Quraisa tribe was planning something bad.
The Prophet (peace be upon him) sent 5,00 companions against the Banu Qar Aisa tribe. On the other hand, the Banu Qaraisa tribe was sending twenty camels loaded with food to help their Jewish allies, but the Muslims seized those camels.
Allah Almighty Himself describes the state of mind of the Muslims during the Battle of the Trench, saying:
[Remember] when they came at you from above you and from below you, and when eyes shifted [in fear], and hearts reached the throats and you assumed about Allah [various] assumptions. There the believers were tested and shaken with a severe shaking.
(Quran 33:10-11)
They were in mental anguish. They wondered if Allah would help us, or if He did not, would we not be victorious?
And when the believers saw the companies, they said, “This is what Allah and His Messenger had promised us, and Allah and His Messenger spoke the truth.” And it increased them only in faith and acceptance.
(Quran 33:22)
In this war, the hypocrites or traitors began to flee, leaving the Muslims behind, which made the situation even more precarious. Allah Almighty describes the attitude or behavior of the hypocrites in that battle.
And when a faction of them said, “O people of Yathrib, there is no stability for you [here], so return [home].” And a party of them asked permission of the Prophet, saying, “Indeed, our houses are unprotected,” while they were not exposed. They did not intend except to flee.
(Quran 33:13)
The hypocrites said that their homes were unsafe, but Allah said that their homes were not unsafe at all.
And if they had been entered upon from all its [surrounding] regions and fitnah had been demanded of them, they would have done it and not hesitated over it except briefly. And they had already promised Allah before not to turn their backs and flee. And ever is the promise to Allah [that about which one will be] questioned. Say, [O Muhammad], “Never will fleeing benefit you if you should flee from death or killing; and then [if you did], you would not be given enjoyment [of life] except for a little.”
(Quran 33:14-16)
Allah was reminding the hypocrites of their promise that they would never flee from the battlefield. In the next verse, Allah Almighty says that:
Already Allah knows the hinderers among you and those [hypocrites] who say to their brothers, “Come to us,” and do not go to battle, except for a few, Indisposed toward you. And when fear comes, you see them looking at you, their eyes revolving like one being overcome by death. But when fear departs, they lash you with sharp tongues, indisposed toward [any] good. Those have not believed, so Allah has rendered their deeds worthless, and ever is that, for Allah, easy.
(Quran 33:18-19)
Hypocrites flee when danger comes, and when danger passes, they talk big. In this regard, Allah Almighty also says:
They think the companies have not [yet] withdrawn. And if the companies should come [again], they would wish they were in the desert among the bedouins, inquiring [from afar] about your news. And if they should be among you, they would not fight except for a little.
(Quran 33:20)
The Quraysh repeatedly tried to cross the trenches, each night they would go from one end of the trench to the other, searching for a way to cross, but they were always met with resistance from the Muslims.
Then the Prophet Muhammad (peace be upon him) adopted a diplomatic strategy, which we will discuss in the next episode, Insha Allah.
